Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup

Name: Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (chopped (or to taste)); 1 jalapeno pepper (minced (remove ribs and seeds for less spice, if desired)); 1/2 tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 (19-ounce) cans no salt added black beans (rinsed and drained); 2 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into small cubes (about 4 cups)); 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth; 1 heaping cup frozen or canned (drained) corn kernels; 1 tablespoon lime juice (from about 1/2 a lime); Sliced jalapeno pepper (garnish to taste (optional)); Sliced green onion (garnish to taste (optional)); Chopped cilantro (garnish to taste (optional)); 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream; 1 small bunch cilantro (about 1/2 cup); 1/2 avocado (pitted and peeled); 2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime); 1/4 teaspoon salt; pinch freshly ground black pepper; milk or almond milk (approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons (if needed) to thin the crema)

Published: March 17, 2020 Updated: March 17, 2020 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 73 Comments

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This black bean sweet potato soup is hearty, a little spicy and totally delicious! Made with some simple ingredients, this comforting soup will satisfy your taste buds and warm your belly! Top with an avocado lime creama for one extra special treat!

Bowl of black bean sweet potato soup with a dish of avocado lime crema behind it.

Hi friends!

Today I’m sharing one of my favourite bean soup recipes (a spicy black bean and sweet potato soup)!

There’s nothing fancy here, far from it.

It’s made with mostly (budget-friendly) pantry ingredients and comes together quickly. Plus, it tastes so yummy!!

There’s some smoky heat here from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, as well as fresh jalapeno. I don’t know about you, but I love a little spice. We always have canned chipotle peppers on hand because they add so much flavour to dishes.

When I’m feeling a little extra hungry, I love to enjoy a big bowl with a hunk of homemade cornbread for dunking!

How To Make This Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup

Full details on how to make this black bean and sweet potato soup are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

In a pot, cook onion in a little olive oil until softened.
Add garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, chili powder and oregano and cook for a couple of minutes.
Stir in beans, sweet potatoes, salt and pepper. Pour in veggie broth, bring to a boil (then reduce to a simmer), cover and cook until sweet potato is fork-tender.
Remove about 2 cups of soup and blend with an immersion blender.
Pour creamy mixture back into the soup, stirring in.
Stir in corn and cook until warmed through, then stir in lime juice.

Collage of steps to make black bean sweet potato soup.

Do I Have To Blend the Soup?

The blended soup adds a little creaminess and body to the soup.

However, if you want to skip this, that’s okay.

If you don’t have an immersion blender and you still want to blend some of the soup, no worries!

Simply remove some of the beans and sweet potato, place in bowl and mash with a potato masher before adding back to the pot.

Spoonful of black bean and sweet potato soup from a bowl.

Avocado Lime Crema

This avocado crema is basically Greek yogurt (or sour cream), lime, cilantro, avocado, salt and pepper.

It’s refreshing and delicious. Plus, its adds a lovely creaminess and cooling effect to the heat from the soup.

This soup, on its own, is dairy free. If you don’t want to garnish with crema, that’s okay too!

Bowl of black bean sweet potato soup with a dollop of avocado lime crema on top.

Yummy Garnish Ideas

Besides the avocado lime crema, this black bean sweet potato soup is delicious with any of these garnish ideas:

Sliced jalapeno
Sliced green onion
Chopped cilantro
Crumbled feta cheese or queso fresco
Homemade tortilla chips crushed up

Tips for Making This Recipe

For less spice, reduce the chipotle peppers and/or omit the jalapeno pepper.
Use store-bought veggie broth or make your own homemade veggie broth!
Frozen, canned, or fresh corn works in this recipe. If using fresh, you may have to cook a little longer.
Add more than a cup of corn, if you wish, for an extra hearty soup.
If you don’t want to mess around making crema, you can simply dollop your black bean sweet potato soup with some plain yogurt (dairy or non dairy) or sour cream.

Two bowls of black bean sweet potato soup alongside crema and lime wedges.

More Yummy Soup Recipes

If you make this easy black bean soup, be sure to leave a comment below!

This black bean sweet potato soup was originally published in January 2017 but has been updated.